County first on Bucks Invertebrate Group meeting at Stowe NT

I led a Bucks Invertebrate Group meeting at Stowe Park and Gardens (National Trust) last Saturday.  We were fortunate to be joined by Andy and Melissa Banthorpe, VC30 moth recorders and very keen on leaf-miners.  

Late in the day, we came across a Cornelian Cherry Cornus mas and Andy & Melissa found (vacated) mines of Antispila treitschkiella, which is a county first for Bucks (VC24). 
(The name treitschkiella was formerly applied in error to what is now known to be Antispila petryi.)

Vacated mine of Antispila treitschkiella, Stowe NT, 17 August 2024

Despite this being the first Bucks record, it is probably easy to find, if you can locate the foodplant, Cornelian Cherry Cornus mas, which is widely planted in gardens and parks.  It is a Dogwood but it has red fruit, see photo below.  If you know of any plants, it would be a good time to check them for mines. 

Cornelian Cherry Cornus mas, Stowe NT, 17 August 2024

If you don't know of any, but want to find them, the best time is in spring when they flower.  

Cornelian Cherry Cornus mas (c) Andy Banthorpe

Some other good finds: a larva of Triple-spotted Pug Eupithecia trisignaria was found by Melissa in the seedhead of Wild Angelica Angelica sylvestris, this may be the first county record of the larva of this local and uncommon species.

Triple-spotted Pug Eupithecia trisignaria Stowe NT 17 August 2024 (c) Melissa Banthorpe

Sycamore Acronicta aceris larva, Stowe NT, 17 Aug 2024

Phyllocnistis unipunctella on Black Poplar Populus nigra sens. lat.

We recorded another 137 species on the day (and still counting!) of which 54 were moths (mostly leafmines).  

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Buckinghamshire Invertebrate Group and joining us on future field trips (it's free!) just go to our Contact us page.

Upcoming trips (with main focus):
31 Aug/1 Sept   College Lake (set moth traps and show to the public next day)
12 October        Bernwod Forest (leaf-mines and galls) 

Neil Fletcher
Buckinghamshire Invertebrate Group